


come on and let it show

by svpportive



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Muggle, F/F, Fluff, Gay Rights, Humor, M/M, gnrjktb this is abt being nosy but also taking that leap!, happy pride!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 20:09:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19092250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svpportive/pseuds/svpportive
Summary: Running a coffee shop gave one the unique perspective of observing interesting characters. Quite a few different people came to her shop (after all, everyone drank coffee, and if they didn’t,Marlene’sserved tea as well), but Marlene firmly believed that after a year and a half in this business, one could pick out a customer and imagine what their dynamic and aura must be, and one would most likely be right.





	come on and let it show

**Author's Note:**

> hi good morning its june so as u know it is illegal to be not lgbtq. this was originally supposed to just be an exercise in writing sirius n remus in an outsider pov to get a better hold on their characters and blah blah blah but im like in love w marlene so this happened instead. ur welcome. gay rights.

When Marlene had first opened the small shop that sat on the corner of a busy street and a not so busy street, she hadn’t really known what to expect.

She had been straight out of university, with a useless degree (her mother’s words) and with no student loans as a result of having a father that was really only good for throwing money where there should be affection. So. Aimless and with the confidence of someone with just enough cynicism to know she’d be alright, she invested in the dream she’d thought she wouldn’t attain until her late forties at least. And at age 24, she was the proud owner of the largely successful coffee shop _Marlene’s_.

She had had help of course; Dorcas was basically co-owner with how much hours and work she’d put into helping her manage the shop every day, and Lily was to thank for dealing with paperwork and taxes and the more unpleasant side of owning a business, which she did using her genius law student powers (and Lily’s boyfriend, she had reason to suspect, was behind an anonymous donation that’d allowed her to get on her feet and open, so him too). With the help of her chosen family, Marlene had built her shop from the ground up and taken off running, and after a year and a half of continuing to do so she felt was used to certain things by now.

For example, running a coffee shop gave one the unique perspective of observing interesting characters. Quite a few different people came to her shop (after all, everyone drank coffee, and if they didn’t, _Marlene’s_ served tea as well), but Marlene firmly believed that after a year and a half in this business, one could pick out a customer and imagine what their dynamic and aura must be, and one would most likely be right.

Dorcas disagreed, but that was very easy to ignore in favor of imagining a backstory for the stout and frowning businessman who came in and scorched his tongue on his latte every weekday morning.

Lately, Marlene’s imagination has been taken over by the appearance of two gentlemen, who at least twice a week took up the corner table next to the used books shelf and talked circles around each other.

The first man had been coming into _Marlene’s_ for the past six months now and she assumed he must be some sort of graduate student, judging by the ever-present tiredness that sat in his eyebrows and the fact that the shop was within walking distance from the university. Remus, which was the name he gave whenever he ordered (but she didn’t know if that was real, because what kind of a name-), was taller than average, with mousy brown hair and a scar that went from the apple of his cheek to his chin (he more than made up for it with a small but dear smile, so Marlene kept herself from being nosy). He was always kind and willing to oblige with her attempts at conversation, and tipped better than his manner of dress would suggest. Marlene liked him, and she knew Dorcas did too, as they both had lively discussions about literature whenever the latter worked the till, usually leading to a line to form.

“In my defense,” Dorcas had tried to explain, the last time this happened, “he has kind eyes! And very valid opinions, and also this way of talking to you like what you’re saying is important.”

“Well, everything you say _is_ important,” Marlene had replied, grinning, and then talk of “Remus” and his kind eyes were forgotten in favor of other activities.

The second man was almost a direct contrast between Remus; while he retained the same easygoing and kind characteristics, he was sharper, _shrewder_ somehow in how he went about, with a grin that spoke of mischief and a dark laugh that was somehow still contagious. “Sirius” (again, Marlene would like them a lot more if they stopped using these blatantly false names), was the definition of classically handsome, with his angled jaw, nobly high cheekbones and hair to his shoulders, and the bad boy vibe he tried hard to portray with his leather jacket and motorcycle parked out front.

(It was a valiant effort, but Marlene had once seen him choke on his muffin due to laughter after a story his Remus was telling, and that rather removed any credibility he had had for good).

He had arrived with the other man only a month after the latter became a regular, and now she only really saw them apart when Remus seemed to be just popping in for a snack between classes. And even then, he seemed to accompany his order with his friend’s automatically before stopping himself, which was _very_ cute indeed.

Which was why Marlene felt that they were the perfect use of observational skills, and she had come to the conclusion that they were friends who both wished for much more. And Marlene oh so badly wanted to help.

Dorcas, characteristically, disagreed.

“Sweets, you think everything is homoerotic. That’s not reason enough to meddle.”

“I do not!” Marlene protests, and nearly gets water down her front as she places things from the sink into the dishwasher. They’re closed though, so she can feel free to be as loud as she wants in her own shop. This was usual behavior.

Dorcas does not raise her voice to meet her. This was just as usual. “You do though! And it’s wonderful really, more things should be as gay as you say they are! But you’re getting ahead of yourself and I don’t want you to embarrass yourself or be disappointed. Either would be unpleasant.”

Marlene gives up on dishes and faces her, stomping her foot in the process. “But Do, you should see it, it’s really something else. They _yearn_! You know straight people can’t yearn! This is gay rights, Dorcas!”

Dorcas crosses her arms, but her lips quirk. Marlene knows she’s gotten to her. “Go on.”

She grins, “They just seem to revolve around each other you know, even if they don’t realize it? And you can tell they’re the type that can argue about something for hours, except it’s not really an argument at all but banter?”

She gets a nod, but Marlene isn’t finished. She’s got evidence on these fuckers, and she was finally allowed to lay it all out after _months_. It all comes out too fast however. “Remus always-. And you should see how Sirius fucking laughs when-“

Dorcas puts a hand on her arm and raises her eyebrows, and Marlene settles. “It’s like- do you remember in college when we were talking for months but had just finally begun _talking_? Like about real things? And the stuff with my mother happened and you were there and we both realized that we couldn’t get on without seeing each other every morning? Because you held me afloat even if you were just complaining about your houseplants?”

Dorcas nods, and as she’s always known when Marlene needs more physical affection, she steps closer and cups her cheek. “So they look at each other like their each other’s life preservers?”

“Yeah.” Marlene says, “like they know life is hard, but just having each other to laugh with and sit with is enough to make everything easier.”

“Then lovie,” Dorcas smiles, and despite the years that say that Marlene should be used to it, her heart rises to her throat, “I believe you know better than I do that any meddling on our parts will only take away from what they are meant to discover on their own.”

And then she kisses her, soft and hard and smelling like dish soap, and Marlene’s heart is calmed, and she concedes that maybe Dorcas was right. The months it’d taken for them to get together were vital after all, and impatience from someone on the outside didn’t have a place in it. As much as she wanted for Remus and Sirius to see how in love they were, they probably didn’t need her help.

 

However, not meddling left her well, itchy actually. The shop, the next day “Remus” and “Sirius” are usually scheduled to drop in, is busier than usual, what with people seeking shelter from the horrible storm outside, and yet Marlene can’t help but check the door every time it jingles. It’s rather slowing up the line, and Dorcas keeps giving her looks about it.

“Hi welcome to Marlene’s, what can I get for you?”

“Erm,” she looks up from the tablet that served as their cash register. It’s Sirius, but it’s a dull and downtrodden version of him, all the boundless energy and confidence no longer propping him up. He’s come up to the register, his hair wet and sticking flat to his neck. No wonder she hadn’t noticed him. “Could I just get a coffee?”

“Black?”

For whatever reason, Sirius does this almost half flinch, that leaves Marlene feeling a sense of wrongness in her gut. Still, the man recovers, sighs. “Yeah. Black.” He pays and goes to stand sit at the bar, rather than go back to the usual table.

Marlene guesses Remus won’t be in today.

She shoots a look at Dorcas, who gives her the same quizzical and concerned look.

Once they’ve managed to cover the rush and settle into a lull again, she pulls her girlfriend aside. “What do you think happened?”

Dorcas shrugs, “No clue, but it must’ve been something awful. Just looking at the poor soul makes my heart ache.”

Marlene chances a discreet look at where Sirius is sitting. His coffee is untouched, and he’s staring at his phone, zoned out from the looks of it.

“Maybe I should-“ she starts, even as she sees Dorcas’ expression morph, “maybe I could talk to him? Just lend an ear you know?”

“I don’t thi-“

“It’ll be good, I mean I can’t bear to see him like this, can you?”

“Marlene!”

But Marlene had already made her around the counter, and yelled in a loud whisper, “You’ve got the till, yeah? Gay rights!”

She approaches the man cautiously, unaware of how he’d react in such a state as he was in. “Are you alright?”

She was right, as Sirius jolts up, before his shoulders drop back down, and his despondent expression replaces the surprise once again. “I-“

Suddenly, any kind of heart-to-heart Marlene has plans for is cut short, by the door banging open. The sound is enough for all conversation to halt, and all the patrons of the shop to focus solely on the man standing in the doorway, drenched from head to toe.

“Remus?”

Remus (okay, so maybe Marlene was wrong, and that was his actual real human name) walks forward determinedly, stopping just a foot from Sirius’ high stool. Sirius’ spread legs make their knees brush.

“Sirius. I- I’ve been so blind.” Remus takes a breath. Marlene has never seen him like this. Dripping for one, but also contrite, and firm. But the look in his eyes as Sirius is reflected back in them is the same.

“I have been so wrapped up in what I need to do and what I have to do that I’ve lost sight of what I want. I thought that I had everything figured out, that that was what was important, knowing what’s next and doing it on my own. I couldn’t see the point in taking risks, let alone to try and consider them, because anything outside of my comfort zone was off limits. But you were right, of course you’re right. What I need-“

He breaks off, and Sirius puts a hand on his chest, which seems to calm him. “What I _want_ is for you to be there, no matter what, to help pull me out of my comfort zone, to help me dip my toes in the water because you know how much I’ll love it. I want you, Pads, to get through the hard times with me and laugh us through the not so hard ones. I was always going to ever want you, and it was dumb of me to think I could avoid it.”

Sirius’ hand on Remus’ shirt has turned into a grip. “So?”

“So,” and Remus laughs almost, over a half sob, “so I love you too. So much. I’m all in. So please come home.”

“Home?” Sirius asks, standing up.

Remus smiles, even as he continues to sniffle. “Home.”

Sirius reaches up and kisses Remus, and Marlene and the rest of the shop break into applause and cheers. When she whips around Dorcas grins at her from behind the till, mouthing _I love you_ which she heartily returns.

The pair break apart slowly, and after exchanging a long glance both look at Marlene. She realizes how big she’s grinning.

“Well boys, for putting me through that soap opera you get drinks on the house!”

Dorcas chirps up from the counter, “Gay rights and all that.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for reading !! some things in this universe i couldnt fit into this oneshot, not really: marlene's theme is this deep pastel pink, with accents of black and white. the shop has a bookshelf that runs along all of the walls besides the one behind the counter, filled with books both dorcas and marlene have picked up over the years. they aren't for sale unless you bring in a book of your own to trade in. there is a rainbow heart on the front door, because it had been important for marlene to show that this coffee shop would be a safe and happy space for gay youth, one her mother could never step foot into. maybe eventually I’ll write something to explain what sirius n remus’ fight was rlly about.
> 
> the title is from love is all around by the troggs but also this fic is brought to u by the following songs: happy together - the turtles, afterglow - anteros, brandy (you're a fine girl) - looking glass, and from eden - hozier. here's the [post](https://lupinblacks.tumblr.com/post/185392704884/tumblr_psnbxp5x7d1tpnoqp) for the fic ! im lupinblacks on tumblr come say hi if u liked this !! if u didnt u can still come say hi i guess


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